Continuity of Operations: A New Standard for Industrial Resilience

Introduction: Why Continuity of Operations is the New Benchmark

Continuity of operations (or operational continuity) has become the defining edge for modern industrial resilience. Whether managing critical energy infrastructure, complex logistics systems, or smart factories, the ability to maintain uninterrupted service is no longer a luxury—it’s a competitive and operational necessity. Cyberattacks, system malfunctions, or misconfigurations can instantly cascade into serious disruptions. The real differentiator? How fast and reliably you recover.

Salvador Technologies is leading this shift with a purpose-built solution that restores operational systems in under 30 seconds. Through its patented air-gapped Cyber Recovery Units (CRUs), real-time monitoring, and automated recovery workflows, Salvador empowers industrial organizations to not just withstand disruption—but to operate through it.

The High Cost of Downtime

According to industry studies, the average cost of downtime in industrial sectors exceeds $260,000 per hour. For critical services, even minutes matter. In healthcare, delays can endanger lives. In logistics, they paralyze delivery systems. In manufacturing, they derail just-in-time workflows.

And yet, many organizations still rely on outdated backup methods—cloud syncs, manual exports, or complex multi-vendor disaster recovery plans that can take hours or even days to activate. These aren’t just inconveniences—they’re threats to reputation, safety, and long-term viability.

That’s where Salvador Technologies comes in: delivering continuity at the speed of disruption.

The High Cost of Downtime

Understanding Continuity of Operations

Continuity of Operations (COOP), as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), refers to the ability of an organization to ensure the continuation of essential functions across a wide range of emergencies—including natural disasters, system failures, and cyberattacks. The goal is to guarantee that mission-critical operations remain functional or are rapidly restored, even when normal processes are disrupted.

At the heart of COOP is the protection and recovery of Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs)—core activities that must continue without interruption. FEMA outlines key pillars of a viable COOP capability, such as:

• Continuity facilities

• Secure communications

• Vital records management

• Human capital planning

• Orders of succession

• Rapid reconstitution strategies

These principles align directly with modern cybersecurity requirements, especially in operational technology (OT) environments. Ensuring continuity through cyber-resilient systems, secured recovery assets, and distributed recovery capabilities helps bridge regulatory guidance with real-world applications.

FEMA also details the four phases of continuity:

1. Readiness and Preparedness – Ensuring safeguards are in place before a crisis

2. Activation and Relocation – Shifting operations in response to disruption

3. Continuity Operations – Maintaining core functions at alternate locations or through alternate systems

4. Reconstitution – Restoring full normal operations with retained data and system integrity

This phased structure mirrors the lifecycle of cyber readiness—before, during, and after an event. Salvador’s hardware and platform services make it possible to execute all four phases with minimal disruption, bridging strategic goals with technical execution.

Non-stop production industries such as logistics, energy, and manufacturing face unique COOP challenges. Their continuous operations model leaves little room for error—cyber incidents can halt production lines, compromise safety, and damage reputations. Legacy OT systems and increased digital connectivity via IoT only expand the attack surface. Salvador’s ability to isolate, monitor, and instantly recover from system failures directly supports continuity objectives for these environments.

To learn more about the impact of cyber attacks on non-stop production industries, read this article.

How COOP Relates to Cyber Resilience

While continuity of operations was traditionally linked with physical emergencies or leadership succession, the rise of cyber threats has made it inseparable from digital resilience. COOP now requires mechanisms for maintaining service during malware outbreaks, ransomware incidents, and data corruption.

A ransomware attack that disables systems can now trigger full-scale COOP activation. In this context, air-gapped backups, instant recovery, and endpoint-level visibility—like those provided by Salvador—aren’t optional add-ons, they’re core COOP enablers.

In critical infrastructure sectors, continuity means knowing you can reboot a clean environment at the edge—without needing cloud access or IT staff on-site. That’s the kind of resilience COOP demands in 2025.

Why Traditional Backups Fall Short

Most backup tools used in industrial environments were not designed for speed, autonomy, or resilience. They often rely on cloud connectivity, technician-led processes, or software interfaces that break under stress.

Traditional backup and disaster recovery systems may take hours to locate, verify, and restore data. During a cyberattack, cloud backups themselves may be encrypted or deleted. Even tape or image backups are too slow to prevent costly downtime.

Salvador Technologies solves this by rethinking the fundamentals:

• Air-Gapped Protection – The CRU (Cyber Recovery Unit) contains three encrypted storage disks, only one of which is ever connected at a time. This ensures backups cannot be tampered with—even during an active ransomware attack.

• Autonomous Recovery – When an incident occurs, the CRU boots the system from a clean, verified copy of the OS and configurations—automatically. No specialist is required.

• Deployment in Harsh Conditions – Designed for industrial and mission-critical facilities, the CRU runs fanless, can be mounted directly to machinery, and operates in rugged environments.

• Monitoring and Validation – Through its web-based interface, organizations can verify the integrity and availability of every backup across every endpoint.

This makes Salvador not just a disaster recovery tool—but a core COOP enabler.

Use Case: Port Authority Operational Continuity

Ashdod Port, Israel’s largest commercial seaport, needed a better solution for maintaining operations across crane systems, HMI (Human-Machine Interface) terminals, and logistics computers. Manual backups were time-consuming, and in a real-world ransomware scenario, recovery could take days—disrupting imports, exports, and national logistics.

With Salvador Technologies:

• CRUs were installed on crane control stations (including legacy HMI devices)

• Systems were configured in under an hour and began creating scheduled offline backups

• During a simulation, full system recovery was achieved in under 30 seconds

Had Salvador not been implemented, a typical backup and restore cycle could have led to delays in port operations, extended closures, and financial losses in the millions.

The result? A clear COOP advantage—faster logistics, reduced operational stress, and greater confidence in handling cyber incidents. This setup is now considered a model for other logistics and transportation hubs globally.

Cyber incident Simulation

Challenges in Maintaining Continuity

Cyberattack Recovery Lag

Modern threats like ransomware or wiper malware execute in seconds. Even if detected early, restoring from traditional backups involves validation, reimaging, and patching—often under pressure. Salvador’s CRU shortcuts this by letting you reboot into a clean version instantly, restoring workflows without reinstallation or diagnosis. That time savings means less exposure, less panic, and less risk to public or customer-facing systems.

Fragmented Systems and Vendors

Industrial environments are often a mix of old and new—legacy systems controlling modern machinery, software patched across vendors. Managing unified recovery becomes messy. Salvador’s standardized system removes this variability by offering a single recovery interface for all endpoints, regardless of age or vendor. This also simplifies COOP planning across divisions or departments.

Limited IT Resources in the Field

Unlike corporate IT, many OT environments rely on minimal staffing—sometimes none. Most backup systems require specialized support to operate or restore. Salvador’s one-button recovery process enables anyone, even non-technical personnel, to bring a machine back online safely. This decentralization of resilience is key for COOP in high-availability environments.

Harsh Deployment Environments

Maritime docks, dusty factories, and remote substations present real-world challenges. Salvador’s CRU is rugged, fanless, and tamper-resistant. It functions reliably without connectivity or cooling and can even be mounted securely to workstations or equipment panels. This durability is essential to ensure continuity regardless of physical conditions.

Conclusion: Secure Your Continuity Before the Crisis

Continuity of operations isn't just a cybersecurity concern—it’s a strategic pillar. As organizations adopt more connected, digitized systems, the ability to withstand and recover from disruption becomes a defining success metric.

Salvador Technologies transforms complex recovery planning into a 30-second action. By blending rugged hardware, offline protection, and ease of use, Salvador supports a COOP framework that’s both compliant and effective.

If your organization depends on continuity, don’t wait for disruption. Reach out to Salvador Technologies today.

FAQs

What does continuity of operations mean in industrial settings?

It refers to the ability to maintain or quickly restore essential industrial processes—like production, safety, or logistics—even during major disruptions such as cyberattacks, system crashes, or power outages. It's about minimizing risk, ensuring safety, and protecting the bottom line.

How is Salvador different from cloud-based backup providers?

Can Salvador’s CRU be used on legacy systems?

How does it help with compliance?